Tubing insertion device



Jan. 28, 1964 G. F. WOKECK 3,119,174

TUBING INSERTION DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1961 United States Patent 3,119,174 TUBING INSERTION DEVICE Glenn F. Wokeck, 305 E. Arlington Road, Bangor, Mich. Filed Jan. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 83,717 1 Claim. (Cl. 29--235) This invention is for an inserting tool. More partic ularly it relates to a tool for safely inserting glass tubing into or removing it from rubber stoppers for use in scientific laboratories.

The insertion of glass tubing in rubber stoppers involves substantial hazards. Although some aid can be had by careful correlation of the size of the tubing with the hole size of the stopper and by providing lubrication, the operation is still potentially dangerous. The tubing may be insufficiently annealed, making it overly susceptible of breakage. The stopper may previously have been used and be thus less elastic than needful.

The most natural position chosen by the operator, so that he may push the tubing into position, is to hold the tubing between the thumb and forefinger, pushing with the heel of his hand. Breakage of the tubing may lead to long gashes of the wrist and forearm of a most serious nature.

The subject of this invention is a simple and inexpensive tool for assisting the laboratory technician in carrying out this procedure without the previous hazard.

Briefly, this tool comprises a thin-walled metallic tube having an internal diameter just large enough to receive the glass tubing, being provided at its outer end, with a removable nose piece and at its opposite end, with a supporting handle.

Referring to the tion:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded, isometric view of the tool together with a stopper in position for the inserting operation to begin;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation, partly broken away, tool with the nose piece about to be put in place;

FIGURE 3 is another elevation, showing the tool inserted in the stopper;

FIGURE 4 is another elevation, showing the next sequential step; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevation of the glass tubing inserted in the stopper.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates a rubber stopper of the usual type, having an opening or passage 12 extending through it for receiving a length of glass tubing 14. It will be assumed that it is desired to insert the tubing into the stopper in the manner shown in FIGURE 5.

The inserting tool is made up of a handle 16, generally rounded at the rear 18 to provide a grip for the finger wrapped around it and having a sloping front shoulder 20 to provide a seat for the ball of the the thumb.

A thin-walled metallic tube .22 extends the length of the central axis of the handle 16. It extends forwardly in front to form the operative portion 24 of the tool. At the rear end 26, the tube is left open to permit the glass tubing '14 to extend through metal tube 22 if desired.

The tube 22 may be secured firmly in the handle 16 as desired, either permanently or in a detachable manner.

It is preferable to employ a tube 22 having a thin wall so that there will be no excessive stretching of the stopper. To assist in the insertion, the forward end 24 of the tube 22 may be slightly tapered toward the end.

The nose piece 28 has a head 30 of rounded cone shape having a base diameter equal to outer diameter of tube 22 or just perceptibly larger. The shank 32i fits drawing accompanying this specificaof the snugly into the tube 22. The skirt of the shank 32 may have a slot 34 to improve the fit.

In use, the nose piece 28 is first placed in the tube 22, as shown about to take place in FIGURE 2, and thrust into the stopper 10 with a forward twisting motion. Water may be used to lubricate the operation. The elements will then appear as in FIGURE 3.

The nose piece 28 may then be removed and the glass tubing 14 inserted into tube 22, the elements then appearing as shown in FIIGURE 4. While holding the stopper 10 with the thumb and forefinger of one hand and the tubing 14 with the remaining, closed fingers of the same hand, the handle is pulled backwardly with a twisting motion, leaving the stopper in place on the tubing as shown in FIGURE 5.

To remove a stopper from tubing, the operations are reversed. The thin, forward edge 24- of the tube 22 is worked between the stopper 10 and tubing 14 until the stopper is supported on the tube 22, when the tubing 14 may be withdrawn.

To place a stopper on a bent tube, the nose piece is entered into the smaller end of the stopper. Long straight lengths of tubing can be accommodated by reason of the open end 26 of the tube 22.

For each size of glass tubing a separate tool may be provided. Alternatively, a separable connection may be used to permit several tubes .22 accommodated in a single handle 16. To facilitate movement of the stopper 10 on the tube 22, both the tube 22 and the nosepiece 28 may be polished and plated 'with a highly polished finish.

Although rubber stoppers are most generally used in laboratory apparatus my invention is useful as well with stoppers made of other elastic materials such as cork.

Obviously, many changes may be made in the device set out herein as the preferred embodiment of my invention. It is intended that all such as are included within the scope of the appended claim shall be comprehended as part of my invention.

I claim:

A tool for inserting glass tubing of substantially uniform outside diameter into the holes of rubber stoppers, the tubing being characterized as long and slender with respect to the stoppers, said holes being, in unfilled condition, slightly smaller in diameter than said tubing but, due to the elasticity of said stopper, being capable of enlargement to accommodate said tubing, the hole length being a large multiple of its diameter, said tool comprising: an elongated rigid tube having a uniform internal diameter just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the glass tubing and having a thin wall, highly polished on the exterior, said tube including a forward operative end and a rear, non-operative end; a grip handle into which the tube is inserted in securable relationship, said handle including a forward thumb rest; and a removable nose-piece for the operative end of said tube, said nosepiece having a polished forward portion of generally conical configuration with a base diameter at least equal to the outer diameter of the operative end of the tube and having a shank adapted to removably fit into the operative end of the tube; said tube being open unobstructedly through its length and extending at least to the outer end of said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,062,626 Wiedrich May 27, 1913 2,320,553 Barnes et al. June 1, 1943 2,584,231 Schmidt Feb. 5, 1952 2,619,964 Thaete Dec. 2, 1952 

